Mind training games: Paradoxically

This post forms part of a serialisation eventually building into a complete reference on Creative Journaling and the writer's notebook. One that will demonstrate how to journal in order to improve creativity and effectiveness of artists, writers or anyone needing to be creative.

The game

This is a small game, well suited to filling those times when there is an odd moment to ponder. It involves simple word play to exercise and strengthen the bridge between the linguistic logical-mind and the creative-mind.

How to play

Practice writing sentences in your journal that consist of two items that conflict with each other, but which at the same time work together to provide a new level of meaning within the sentence. The meaningful conflict which forms the paradox in the game’s title.

This game can be played at almost any time in your day, fitted in when it suits. Practice making paradoxes like these, and with practice you will gain awareness of their form, allowing you to recognise them when they are used in the world around you.

" –‘In a dark time, the eye begins to see…
And in broad day the midnight come again!’ –
Literally, the eye cannot see 'in a dark time’, and literally the midnight cannot come 'in broad day'. Yet our design-mind (creative-mind) moves beyond logic to a different awareness, one that sees the possibility of both as valid on a new level of meaning."

The purpose of the game

Language and its formation is the logical-mind’s domain, whilst making sense of paradoxes such as these are our creative-mind’s speciality. In order to form these linguistic trinkets we need to employ both parts of our minds, and in doing so, causes activity to cross the bridge (the corpus callosum) between our logical and creative minds. Increased activity on this bridge strengthens it further and grows our abilities for both parts of our mind to work together in the future.

There is a further purpose, and that is simply to have fun with words, to enjoy yourself crafting interesting linguistic gems, and maybe one day you will have a use for some of them in a project.

These paradoxes have a certain charm, a certain pleasure when read, making them enjoyable to read as well as create. Do you have any linguistic paradoxes that you would like to share? If you do, please leave them for everyone in the comments.